We Shall Fight On
by darkhaven
Summary: Fudge has ignored Voldemort's rising for too long. Now, the innocent shall pay the price. *Warning - Dark* *Complete*


Harry and Hermione had been invited to The Burrow to celebrate Christmas with Ron's family during their fifth year. As they were boarding the train to Platform 9 and 3/4, Ron noticed that something appeared to be worrying Hermione.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"If it was nothing, you wouldn't have the 'I don't know what to do for once in my life and I really don't like it' look on your face. Seriously, Hermione, what's worrying you?" It quickly became apparent that something was really disturbing her, as she did not even respond to that comment.

"Hermione . . . " Ron spotted Crookshank's carrying case and smiled. He then picked it up and quickly backed away from Hermione. "Tell me what's wrong or Crookshanks here will have a little . . . fun."

"Ron, put my cat down. If you really want to know what's wrong, I'll tell you. I'm worried about You Know Who. He -"

"Hermione, it's Voldemort," Harry interrupted her, causing the two of them to wince. "Dumbledore is absolutely right. It's stupid not to say his name. All it does is make you even more afraid of him."

"Fine, then, Voldemort." Ron winced again. "What worries me is that in the past, his favorite time to strike was on holidays. I doubt that has changed, even after his exile. This will be the first Christmas since he was resurrected, and, since it has been fairly quiet recently, I'm worried that he is up to something. Are you happy now?"

"No, but . . . there isn't much we can do. We just have to hope for the best," Harry replied

"I suppose you're right." With that, they boarded the train.

* * *

They arrived at King's Station a few hours later, where Molly Weasley picked them up. The trip to the Burrow from the train station was uneventful. Once they arrived, Mrs. Weasley had them take their things upstairs, saying, "Dinner will be ready soon. Why don't you go and rest for a bit?" 

"Yes, mum's" and "Of course, Mrs. Weasley's" intermingled as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny ran up the stairs. Harry was staying in Ron's room as always. As the two of them were unpacking, Ron asked Harry "What do you think about that stuff Hermione was saying?"

"I'm pretty sure we aren't in danger here, Ron. Do you think Professor Dumbledore would have let me come if he had thought there would be any chance of Voldemort attacking?" Ron winced again, then laughed.

"I've got to stop doing that. Anyway, I guess your right. It doesn't seem likely, does it?" With that, the conversation ended, and the two of them soon heard Mrs. Weasley saying that dinner was ready.

* * *

The next day was Christmas Eve, and it quickly became obvious that Harry was excited, having never spent Christmas with a family that cared about him before. Even the twins were a bit awed as he ran about the house, never appearing to run low of energy. Eventually, Mrs. Weasley threw everyone out of the house, telling them that they were only getting in the way. 

"Well, Harry, what are we going to do now?" said Fred.

"Ummm.... Quidditch?"

"Sounds good," came from the twins.

"Great idea," said Ron. As Percy was still at work, while Bill and Charlie were supposed to arrive the next morning, the only people left were Hermione and Ginny. The two of them looked at one another.

"Well..."

"Please?" asked Ron and Harry, looking extremely hopeful. The two conferred for a moment, then Hermione said, "All right."

"Good. Now, Fred and George are Beaters, while the rest of us are chasers. We won't use the Snitch, because there aren't enough people. Fair?" Harry asked.

"What are the teams?"

"Err... Fred, me, and Hermione against George, Ron, and Ginny," Harry replied. "Now, let's go!"

The six of them zoomed happily about the yard for hours. Even Hermione and Ginny were enjoying themselves. However, they could not stay outside forever, and dinner came all too rapidly. 

"Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, dinner is almost ready. Why don't you go wash off?" was heard from the kitchen window. Soon, everyone was sitting down in front of a veritable feast. After dinner, Mrs. Weasley remarked, "All of you should go to bed early tonight, seeing that tomorrow is Christmas; and I'm sure that at least one of you will wake up early." Amidst "Sure." "Alright's," and "Night Mum's," they went to bed. 

* * *

At one o'clock that night, Harry woke up screaming, holding his scar. Ron immediately got out of bed and went over to him, asking what was wrong, as the a group of people came to the door upon hearing the scream. "Harry. Harry! HARRY!! What's wrong?" 

"Voldemort. He's near here," came through his gasps.

"What!"

"You Know Who?!"

"Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?"

"Ahhhhhhhhh!

"Everyone, shush!" Mr. Weasley screamed. "Now, be quiet while I send an owl to Dumbledore. Percy, keep an eye out for anything unusual, and Harry... tell us if you learn anything else. Now, I want all of you to go down to the main room and stay there. Understand?"

"Yes," Harry and Percy replied, as everyone started to go downstairs. Once they had reached the sitting room, they quickly huddled together, some subconscious instruction telling them that there was safety in numbers. Meanwhile, Mr. Weasley, after sending his wife to watch over the children, went towards the owl coop near the attic. As he was giving the message to Pigwideon, figuring that he would probably be able to get to Hogwarts the quickest, he happened to look out of a window. To his dismay, he saw a black robed figure advancing across the lawn. In the living room, Molly happened to look at the Weasley family clock. She saw that the majority of the hands were pointing to "Mortal Peril," and felt her heart sink. Determining that she would do everything she could to keep the children from harm, she told all of them to find some kind of cover near the back wall, while she took up a position by the doorway.

"Harry?"

"What, Ron?"

"Are you kind of... nervous"

"Nervous? Of course he's nervous. You are, and he's in the exact same situation."

"Hermione, I didn't ask you. Well, Harry -" George laughed. "What's so funny, George?" Ron growled.

"It's just that.. You Know Who might be attacking us, we're trapped in the Burrow, and you two are arguing!"

"You have to admit, it is funny." Fred added. Anything Ron would have said was lost as the door opened, revealing the dark robed figure. They heard a laugh.

"Harry Potter. We meet again. This time, though, you won't be so lucky, as I've taken... precautions. Crucio!" The curse flashed out and struck Mrs. Weasley, who started to scream. "Yes, Harry, I'm back. It is now time to finish our duel. Wormtail, make sure that now one enters the room."

"Yes, my lord."

"Now, Harry, come forward, or else your friends will get a taste of the Crucio curse. You would not like that, would you?" Harry was thinking, trying to come up with a way to avoid fighting Voldemort, as he did not think that Priori Incantatem would save him this time. Unfortunately nothing seemed to come to him. 

"Harry, your running out of time. Ava -"

"Wait!"

"That's better, Harry. Now, do you remember what I taught you last time? BOW!" Harry felt a familiar floating sensation as he started to bow. This time, however, recognizing what it was he screamed, "No!"

"Harry, you seem to have learned somewhat since our last meeting. However, your lack of courtesy is unacceptable, and must be punished. Crucio!" Harry screamed, feeling as if his body was being torn apart. Hermione rushed forward, yelling "Stop!"

"You may not interfere. Imperio!" Hermione felt as if her mind had become detached from her body. "Ahh. You appear to be a smart one. You know that it is forbidden to meddle in a wizarding duel once it has begun, so do not let any one of your companions interfere."

"Yes....my.....lord."

"Now, Harry, we shall finish what we began 6 months ago. Pick up your wand. Now, it is time to duel." Just then they heard "Stupefy" coming from the front of the house. "Wormtail, what was that." 

"Merely the senior Weasley, my lord."

"Good. Do not let anyone else near"

"Yes, my lord."

"Now, as I was saying it is time for us to duel," Voldemort said, returning his attention to the room. "That incident that interfered the last time will not happen again. Now, begin!"

"Crucio!"

"Expelliarmus!" The two curses met in the middle of the room, and bounced in different directions.

"Is that the best you can do Potter. Six months, and you have no learned any new curses? I'm disappointed. Avada Kedavra!" As Lord Voldemort said the killing curse, Harry realized that he couldn't dodge it, as his friends were directly behind it.

"Expelliarmus!" Once again, the curses met in the middle of the room.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Riddle, but that's not quite true. Professor Dumbledore did teach me a few spells," Harry said. "Discu Singulus Maximus Riddlearius!" Voldemort began to laugh.

"What kind of curse is that? Nothing's happened. Now, I will end this farce. Avada Ke-" Just then, a circular object came flying through the wall, spinning, headed straight for Voldemort. He ducked, but the disc managed to cut the side of his face. "Well, it appears that you have learned something after all. However, it won't be enough, Potter. Avada Kedavra." The green light flashed across the room, headed straight for Harry. However, before it reached him, Fred and George yelled "Stupefy," knocking Hermione unconscious, and Percy dived at Harry, knocking him out of the way. Just then, they heard a voice from outside, saying "Multiplarius Gladius Lux!" Everyone in the room looked up as what appeared to be a thousand beams of light pierced through the walls, destroying any spells that Voldemort had put upon the house to prevent outside interference.

"Well, Potter, it appears that I do not have the time to finish you today. However, Avada Kedavra." The green light flashed across the room, striking the unconscious form of Molly Weasley, as he disapparated. Dumbledore than appeared in the room, followed by Arthur Weasley. All of the merriment that usually dwelled within the Headmaster's eyes had disappeared, leaving only a deep rage and implacable purpose.

"Mum!" Ginny screamed, rushing over to where she lay.

"The last curse. He aimed at her. She was unconscious. What did she ever do to him?!" Harry shouted. Dumbledore and Arthur hurried over to her, where they knelt. Dumbledore shook his head. 

"I'm sorry, Arthur. She never knew what hit her."

"Nooo!!!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, the WWN interrupted its normal programming. "This is Blair Winston. We have interrupted our regular schedule due to the orders of Professor Albus Dumbledore, who is with me in the studio."

"I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin, First Class. As many of you know, I was responsible for the defeat of Grindelwald, and act which gave us almost thirty years of peace. During the rise of Voldemort, I was the only wizard that he feared to face. At the end of the last term of school, Voldemort arose once more. Cornelius Fudge was informed of this fact, but, lost in denial, refused to admit it. I then announced that fact at the final banquet of the previous school year, only to be ignored by the Ministry once more.

"All of you know that there has been a rash of murders since summer of this year, with one thing in common. The fact that the Dark Mark has been sighted at each and every murder. Fudge has hid the appearance of the Dark Mark from the public, believing that it was simply a resurgence among the former Death Eaters, assuming that this wave of attacks would soon end. Indeed, these attacks have ended, but not in the manner he assumed. This serious of attacks culminated tonight, in an attack upon the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. This attack was led by none other than Lord Voldemort himself. Unfortunately, this attack was not concluded without casualties. Molly Weasley, mother of 7, whose only crime was allowing Harry Potter to stay in her house over Christmas, was killed by Voldemort as he fled after I arrived with help - help that was delayed as Fudge refused to allow the Aurors stationed nearby to investigate. Cornelius Fudge, through his denial, has allowed Voldemort to complete a second rise to power. Due to this criminal neglect, I hereby call for the resignation of the Minister of Magic. 

"What?!! You can't demand his resignation like -"

"Do not interrupt me," Dumbledore said, his voice dangerously low. "Now Voldemort is back. I know, the Aurors know it, you know it. What will be our response this time? Will we allow him to terrorize the country, or will we fight back. Years ago, all of Britain was faced by a similar danger. The country was threatened with invasion. The Muggle Prime Minister of the time gave a speech addressing the danger. I urge you to listen." 

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

"I beg you. Do not make the same mistake as last time. Let us prove to Voldemort that he shall not succeed, that he shall falter and fail before our courage and determination. Goodnight."


End file.
